A challenge so important
by costy
Summary: After Hogwards closed down, all the students have to go to Endora's school of magic, in Romania. See how the teachers and students react to the changes that take place, and what secrets they reveal... Hermione Oliver, Cedric Hermione, Harry Cho, and more!
1. A big change

**A challenge so important ...**

**By costy**

**Summary**: The bad things that happened at Hogwards have lead to the inevitable: the school is now closed. Luckily, Endora's school of magic, situated in Romania offers both students and teacher another chance... See how everybody reacts to the changes that take place. Harry is trying to forget Cho, and someone could help him do that :); Hermione is thinking a lot about starting a relationship with Oliver, but he is thinking more about sports than her. Cedric will have a surprise visit from a mystery girl who wants to confess her feeling about him. The school holds another surprise for our heroes: a competition!

**Chapter 1 – A big change**

Hermione was running along the empty corridor as fast as she could; being late for Defense against the Dark Arts was bad, very bad! She looked once more at her clock. How did she forget what time it is again, what was she thinking? Actually, she knew what, but she didn't really want to admit it. As she ran, witches and wizards from inside the paintings on the walls kept laughing, but she didn't even notice them, being more concentrated on finding the classroom. She looked left, she looked right, she thought she probably was on a wrong corridor, and just when she turned around to go back downstairs, she bumped into someone.

" 'ren't we in a 'urry today?" the boy said, with a rather strange accent. He looked at her. "You're a "Ascenda", aren't you?" he continued.

"I'm sorry, what?" she responded. Hermione didn't understand nor tried to understand what he said. "I'm really late. Can you please tell me where the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom is?" she asked.

"Downstairs." He responded. "Down – stairs." He repeated, more slowly, noticing that she didn't understand him the first time; he pointed at the floor.

"Down? Thanks!" Hermione said, picking up the books she dropped. She started running towards the stairs.

"My name's Alex." He said, looking at Hermione who was now climbing down the stairs. She didn't look back. "Nice knowing ... you."

"Open your books at page 43. Today we will be studying vampires; who can tell me what spells are most efficient against a vampire's attack? Potter!" Snape said with his usual cold voice. "You surely know them, don't you Potter?" he continued. A slight smile was noticeable on his pale face.

"As a matter of fact I don't know them. That's why we're studying them now!" Harry said calmly. He always considered Snape to be the worst professor he ever had; and now he had to face him on every Defence Against The Dark Arts class...

"Excuse me mister, but shouldn't we wait for professor De La Croix!" a girl from behind Harry said. She had brown hair, green eyes, and was wearing light blue robes. She sounded worried.

"What's your name, girl?" Snape asked on a frightful tone.

"Adina Dámon." She responded quickly.

"Well, Dámon, maybe you should think about what ... - what are YOU doing here?"

"I'm sorry, professor, I got lost!" Hermione said as she entered the classroom and took a seat beside Harry and Ron.

"Get a map, Granger!" Snape told her. "We can't just wonder around like we just fell of the moon, now can we?" he continued.

"Hello, class!" a strong female voice said. Professor Anne De La Croix just walked in the classroom. All the students stood up and responded with a "Hello, professor!"

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Severus?" she asked Snape, who was looking hatefully at Hermione and Harry.

"He was teaching us about vampires, miss." Adina told her.

"Is that right, Mr. Snape? Cause I don't remember telling you to teach in my absence, and, if I remember correctly **I** am the professor here at **Endora's school of magic**, and you are my assistant; or am I mistaking?" She said. Professor De La Croix was a very smart witch who everybody liked. She had long, blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and today she was wearing emerald-green robes. Her classes were always interesting and fun. "Let's see, what was the homework I gave you last hour about?" she asked smiling. Hemione's hand was already raised high into the air.

Harry and Hermione were waking towards the great hall,

"Have you heard?" Harry said to Hermione. "This night we'll be sorted into the two houses here."

"Yes – I've read that the sorting will be different here at Endora. Too bad none of the teachers would tell me more about it. But I guess it's about time for this; I'm really tired of sleeping on the floor in the great hall." Hermione said. She then changed the subject to something she considered to be more interesting "Did you talk to Oliver lately? Didn't see him much around here."

"He's helping professor Hooch deal with the quidich practice schedule. There are too many teams now!"

They were now in the great hall. It wasn't too different from the one they had at Hogwards.

"Let's sit down here." Hermione said pointing towards an empty table. They sat down and started talking.

"Snape's really pissed about having to be an assistant. But it was obvious that he wasn't going to get the Defence Against The Dark Arts position here; professor De La Croix already had it!" Harry said to Hermione smiling.

"It suits him well!" Hermione said. "Professor De La Croix is great! Her teaching methods are amazing. I managed to heal a vampire bite on my second try today!" she continued. "Earlier I got lost. I ended looking upstairs for the classroom." She laughed. "I bumped into this guy who told me where to go. His accent wasn't so good, for a moment I thought he said something about St. Patrik's day ... Oh, there's professor Dumbledore; I think he's gonna tell us about the sorting." She said, looking at the teacher's table in front of her. However, Dumbledore was just trying to speak with another teacher who she didn't recognize.

"I wonder why we're waiting so much. It's ... oh, no!" She said.

"What is it?" Harry asked curiously.

"My watch! The one Oliver gave me last year after helping him study for the Potions exams. Lost it!" she said sighing. "Where did I put it? Oh!"

Harry looked behind Hermione, and noticed Cedric and Cho walking towards they're table. "Don't mind if we sit with you? All the other tables are nearly full." Cedric told him.

"No. Of course not." Harry said. He looked at Cho as she sat down. He found her very attractive, but he knew he couldn't tell her anything, since she was Cedric's girlfriend. How could've he let himself fall in love with someone who didn't even talk to him, who didn't even notice him.

"Hope I'm not late! Did the sorting start?" a voice from behind Hermione said.

"Oliver!" Hermione said, surpised. She quickly hid her hand under the table. What if Oliver knew how careless she was with his presents. Her face turned pink.

"Hey, Granger!" he said to her, while taking a seat at the same table. "Harry, I think Madam Hooch will be able to get us a few hours ..."

Hermione felt her stomach turn upside down. He called her "Granger"; that's what she was to him: "Granger!"

Professor Dumbledore raised his wand and said "Attencio!" all the heads in the great hall turned immediately towards him. He lowered his wand and spoke slowly "Hello dear Endora students. For those who do not know me, I am Albus Dumbledore, former headmaster of Hogwards, school of witchcraft and wizardry. With the kindness of your headmistress, I am going to explain why we are here today."

**To be continued ...**

**A.N**.: Before I get to deep in this fic, I want to see what you think about it. Comments are appreciated!

**P.S**.: Some things might not make sense right now, but they will in the seconds chapter, **A surprise visit**.

**Explanations**: Although Endora's school of magic is situated in Romania, it doesn't mean that all the students are Romanians.


	2. Ascenda and Luminati

**Chapter 2 – Ascenda and Luminati**

The great hall was quiet as Dumbledore spoke; Harry, Hermione, Cho and Cedric were paying no attention to what Oliver kept saying about the agreement madam Hooch made with the Romanian quidditch instructor, and were looking straight into they're former headmaster's half-moon spectacles. "Good evening Endora students; for those of you who do not know me, I am Albus Dumbledore, former headmaster of Hogwards school of witchcraft and wizardry. With the kindness of your headmistress" he then pointed at professor De La Croix.

"She's the headmistress?! I had absolutely no idea!" Hermione said in surprise. "I mean, I should've guessed that..."

"Hermione, keep quiet..." Harry whispered into her ear.

"I am going to explain why we are here today." Dumbledore continued; a moment of complete silence followed. "This year, the Triwizard tournament, a very important competition which I am sure all of you know about was supposed to take place once more. However, ... despite the safety precautions we took, someone managed to fool us." It was then half the heads in the great hall turned towards Harry. "No doubt, a very powerful wizard whose intentions were not so noble. When people started asking questions and pointing fingers, the only reasonable thing to do was to seek help from the ministry of magic." He continued, with a sigh "Surely thinking of what is best, the ministry decided to cancel the competition. Then, the school was considered an unsafe place to be."

"And guess what happened..." said Cho. She was looking at Hemione, and didn't notice Harry glancing at her.

"After the school was closed down, the students were supposed to go home for the rest of the school year. However, that is when the chance of coming here to Endora's school of magic took place." Dumbledore smiled "I think a round of applause for Madame De La Croix are in order..." But there was no need for Dumbledore to say that; everybody started clapping they're hands as loud as they could, whistling and screaming.

Professor De La Croix stood up and bowed politely to the crowd. Dumbledore had to wait a few moments for the clapping to fade. "Before I leave professor De La Croix sort the students into they're groups, I must tell you all one more last minute decision: probably for most of you this is the first time Romania; that is why the ministry of magic had decided to allow underage wizards to use every form of magic necessary in case of ...danger... But I am sure that won't be necessary. Now, professor, if you please..."

Dumbledore sat down, and the Great Hall looked at Anne De La Croix as she stood up again and started speaking "Thank you professor. I would like to tell all the other students that they should treat both they're new colleagues, as well as they're new professors with the same amount of respect they treated all other Endora students and teachers. Now, I am going to sort the former Hogwards students into the two houses we have here at Endora; if you don't know them, I'll let you know that they're named "Ascenda" and "Luminati""

"That's what he called me!" Hermione told Harry who looked back at her with curiosity. "Oh, Harry, the boy I told you about! He bumped into me earlier and that's what he called me; he said I was an Ascenda!" she continued.

"Due to the amount of students we have now, each house will be divided into three groups. Now..." she raised her wand and pointed it towards the cabinet which was situated left from the teachers table. "Accio!" a piece of parchment immediately flew into her hand. "... we should start the sorting!" She started saying the student's names in alphabetical order, followed by the house they were in.

"Oh... That's it?" Hermione said disappointed. "I thought it was going to be different... She's just gonna read our names from a piece of paper?!" she continued.

"... Cho Chang – Ascenda ... Cedric Diggory – Luminati!" De La Croix was reciting. Cho and Cedric exchanged said looks. "Hermione Granger!" time stopped for a short moment for her; where was she going to be sorted? "Ascenda!" the proffesor said.

"_He was right ... but how did he know?"_ Hermione thought; she then looked around the Great hall, trying to spot the boy, but with no luck. She didn't think about him much until now. She was in such a hurry that she didn't even look at him carefully; would she even recognize him if she saw him again?

Her thoughts were then interrupted by the headmistress's voice "Harry Potter – Luminati!"

She bit her lip. Wasn't it enough that she earlier lost her watch? The watch Oliver gave her last year. Now she had to loose her friends too? She tried to pull herself together, but tears filled her eyes. She didn't look into Harry's eyes.

"Hermione?" Harry asked. He then put his right arm on her shoulder, but she shook it of.

"I had enough for one day..." she said, trying to keep herself from crying. She jumped to her feet and started walking towards the door.

"Hermione ..." Harry whispered to her, hoping she would stop and come back to the table. However, she continued walking. He then looked at professor De La Croix who apparently didn't notice Hermione walk out the door. He wanted to go after her, but just as he wanted to stand up, he felt Cedric's hand on his arm.

"No, wait here. Let me go!" he said. Harry then looked into his eyes, and then into Cho's; she looked just as surprised as he did. "Ok?" Cedric asked Harry.

Harry nodded.

* * *

"Hermione! Wait!" Cedric called out to her. They were now outside the Great Hall.

Hermione stopped walking and looked back at him; her eyes were red and filled with tears. "I don't know what's wrong with me!" she said. The truth was that even she didn't knew the exact reason that made her burst into tears. Was it the sorting that she thought was obviously unfair, or was it that Wood hadn't paid her as much attention as she expected tonight? She didn't notice the plump witch sitting in a portrait behind her looking moved at her.

"Don't be ridiculous! Nothing's wrong with you." Cedric said to her, trying to calm her down. "I know that our coming here to Romania was a drastic change, not just for you, but for all of us!" he continued. "Cho and I are in different houses too, but that's just the way it goes! We were in different houses back at Hogwards as well, so I can guarantee that it won't affect your relationship with Harry..."

"Harry... Harry and me are just... just friends." She said, whipping the tears out of her eyes. "The true reason I got so upset tonight is that..." she stopped.

"Go on, talk about it... It will make you feel better." Cedric said. Hermione shook her head. "Ok..." He grabbed her in his arms tightly. She then put her head on his shoulder. Cedric could smell her perfume. He ran his left hand through her hair and said "Let's go back in the Great Hall. The sorting should be ending any moment now." Hermione nodded.

They started walking towards the mahogany door that lead to the Great Hall. "Wait!" Cedric said just as Hermione reached out for the doorknob. He raised his wand and whispered "Orchideous!" He then handed Hermione the bunch of flowers that burst from the wand tip. Hermione smiled.

"Oh, how nice..." Agatha Dubois, the witch in the painting said, looking at them as they entered the Great Hall.

* * *

"So, decided to join us after all?" Harry said to Hermione who threw him back a "Don't you start!" look.

Cho however remained quiet and decided it was more interesting to look into her empty plate than at Cedric who sat down beside her.

"The sorting should end any minute now. God I'm hungry!" Harry said, placing his right hand on his stomach.

"Don't eat to much, Potter! We still need you for Quidditch practice!" Oliver said to him laughing. Hermione however didn't looked towards him.

The sorting ceremony ended in a few more minutes. "Now that that's over, let me officially welcome you all to Endora's school of magic!" Professor De La Croix said smiling. She raised her wand into the air.

Hermione then looked at her robes. Instead of the Griffinndoor sign on her chest she now had a yellow letter "A". She then looked at Harry and Cedric, whose robes now had a blue letter "L" attached to them. Her sight turned towards Oliver; to her surprise, she discovered he was an Ascenda!

"Before we can all feast, I have one more announcement to make: I know that the changes you've just gone through are difficult, and that's why I decided to organize a little competition. Each one of you will now receive a clue. If you manage to figure out what it means, then you are allowed to compete."

She waved her wand one more time, and small boxes appeared before each student. "I would suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself. Hexes can be really ... well, you know!" She giggled and sat down.

Food appeared on the tables and everyone started eating. Now, every person sitting there was an Endora student.

* * *

**A.N.** Thanks for your reviews! I really appreciate them. Abra de Winter, you were a little confused about when my story takes place; I think this chapter explained everything :)

XxPaDfOoTiExX – thank you for adding my story to your favorites! I hope I won't let you down!

P.S: I know that the chapter was supposed to be entitled A surprise visit, but ... you know how it is...

Comments are appreciated!

**Nice quote**: "Ron, where are you? Oh this is stupid - lumos!" (This line is so cool!)


	3. Give me a reason!

**Chapter 3 – Give me a reason **

The night passed more quickly then she thought; it was 9 am when she woke up, but the fact that it was Sunday made her forget about the Transfiguration homework she had to prepare for Monday – "3 easy methods on how to transform a mouse into a cat".

Hermione got up two hours later, and while she was putting on her Ascenda robes, she thought about her rather embarrassing act; why did she bust into tears like that just because of what seemed now small problems? She stopped thinking about it while she was unpacking her clothes. She looked around the girls dormitory, and saw that all of her colleagues were still seeping; the bed she slept in the past night was incomparably better than the Great Hall's floor. She reached inside her suitcase and pulled out a photo of her and Oliver: it was taken just after the Griffindoor team won last year's quidditch cup; she was smiling and pulling Oliver's sleeve, so as to make him look at her. He, on the other hand, was holding the cup and was barely noticing her presence, as he was more preoccupied with hugging Angelina.

Hermione put the picture on her bedside table, but changed her mind quickly afterwards and replaced it in her suitcase. She didn't want to remember that moment, at least just for now. She quickly brushed her hair and walked out of the dormitory, into the empty Ascenda Common Room. She was still feeling a bit disoriented due to the fact that the new common room was significantly different from the one she was used to back at Hogwards.

"Up so early, Granger? Don't you need your beauty sleep like the other girls?" Oliver said. He was sitting on a couch near the empty fireplace, and was reading "Quidditch through the ages".

"Good morning to you too!" she responded sarcastically. "Reading that book again, are you? Honestly, don't you get bored?" She continued. And now what? She could go outside or back into the dormitory; she didn't want to have a conversation with Oliver right now.

"Hey, calm down... I didn't meant it that way..."

Hermione rolled her eyes and started walking towards the exit.

"Honestly! Oh, come on..." he said.

"I have better things to do than stay and chat with YOU..." She replied, while stepping out of the common room.

"It's Sunday!" Oliver said, raising his hands.

"Oh, for goodness sake, just shut up!" a voice from the boy's dormitory screamed. "Some of us are tying to get some sleep!"

* * *

"So, how did you sleep last night?" Harry asked Hermione, while they and Ron were walking through the castle's gardens.

"Do you have to ask?!?" Hermione responded immediately.

"So, Harry says you ... Hmmm." Ron stopped, felling Harry's elbow on his ribs. "I was at Charlie's the other night. Oh, by the way, I was sorted ..." He continued.

"You're an Luminati, I can see the L on your robes, Ron..." Hermione said sighing. She then asked him "So, what about Charlie?"

"Oh, ya! I was just getting to that! So, guess what?!" he asked. Both Hermione and Harry looked back at him, with curiosity. "Give up? Okay! In a week we're gonna go and see Norbert!"

"Really? Hagrid's going too, isn't he?" Hermione asked.

Norbert was the dragon Hagrid thought he'd keep as a pet during they're first year.

"Well, of course he is!" Ron answered. "After all, he was there when Norbert was "born"."

"You mean hatched." Hermione corrected him.

"He's like his father or something like that!" Ron continued.

"Hermione?" Harry asked "Did you by any chance open that box thing De La Croix gave us the other night?" he continued. "Better not tell anyone about what it's about if you manage to figure out what it means... Madam Pomfrey is still trying to make Cho regain her voice; I saw her heading to the hospital wing earlier today. Cedric told me what happened."

"Oh, that's awful! We should go visit her later!" Hermione said thoughtfully. "Looked at the clue last night – it's quite easy if you ask me!"

"Oh, come on. It's a..." Ron said, but then lowered his voice. "Doesn't make any sense at all!"

"Of course it doesn't, if the only thing you read is "The adventures of Martin Miggs, the mad muggle" Hermione said to Ron, who looked back at her without saying another word. "Anyway, I think that this competition has another purpose, besides making us feel welcomed here. Endora needs all the publicity it can right now!" she said to Harry and Ron.

"You fell asleep with your head on a dictionary again, didn't you?" Ron said, laughing.

Hermione looked back at him, with an expression that made him say "I was just joking, you know that!" and after several seconds of silence she continued. "Yes, now that we're here, Endora practically ones the front pages. Think about it! Parents will want they're kids to come here too!"

"But Endora can't receive more students than it already has now! They had to divide the houses into three groups!" Harry said, confused.

"Think about it like this: what was Endora before? A small wizarding school, with few students and teachers! They might have all ex-Hogwards students now, but you don't honestly think that they'll keep us next year as well?" Hermione continued.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"An article in the "daily prophet" I've read a few days ago stated that the ministry of magic will randomly sort all ex-Hogwards students and professors into different European wizarding schools!"

"But they can't be serious!" Harry said. "Randomly sort us into different schools?" he asked himself.

"I think that they will!" Hermione said to Harry, sighing.

"But why doesn't Dumbledore say anything about it? Surely he doesn't agree with something like this!" Harry inquired.

"Yes, but Who IS Dumbledore now? He's not our headmaster anymore, is he? He has no authority to oppose the ministry's decisions. With us gone, Endora will need other students and teachers! That's why I think they want so much attention!" Hermione said.

"But do you think De La Croix would do such a thing? Hermione, she is good to everyone, she's kind and I don't think she's able to ... use us like that, only for publicity!" Harry said to Hermione, who responded immediately.

"I agree with you on this, Harry. I don't think it's De La Croix, but trust me, there are a lot of people with lots of reasons... Just have to figure out who!"

* * *

Hermione was walking up the staircase leading to the hospital wing. Although she and Cho weren't very close friends, she somehow felt the need to go visit her. Was she doing this for Cho, or was she just hoping she will accidentally meet Cedric again? After all, wasn't he the one who went after her the other night? He showed her he cared...

She knocked on the mahogany door and entered. Cho was sitting on one of the hospital beds, with her hands over her eyes. Hermione could tell she was crying. Cedric was sitting on a chair, beside her.

"Cho? Heard about ... I'm really sorry!" Hermione told her. However, Cho didn't move.

"Madam Pomfry said there's nothing she can do right now. Cho has to wait another three days for the charm to wear off." Cedric told Hermione, who responded with an "Oh..."

Cho still didn't move. "She doesn't want to see anyone right now. Understand her..." Cedric said to Hermione. He then kissed Cho on the cheek and said "We'll be going now, ok?" Cho nodded, while still keeping her hands over her eyes. "Let's go then." Cedric said to Hermione, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Bye, Cho! I'm really sorry!" Hermione repeated.

As they walked out of the room, Hermione looked into Cedric's gray eyes. She opened her mouth, but didn't say anything.

"So..." Diggory said to her, smiling. "How are you?" he asked Hermione.

"Um, what can I say..." she smiled back. "I'm... better!" she went slightly pink What a stupid thing to say! "I should apologize for last night..."

"There's nothing to apologize for... Like I said, it's a big change..." he then looked into Hermione's eyes and said "Hermione, there is something I have to tell you..."

* * *

**A.N.: **I know, I'm evil... :) I want to know what you think should happen next; who do you think is best for Hermione?

**P.S.: **Thank you for all your reviews! I really appreciate them!


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